Renji's Love Interest
by lilkorea
Summary: [oneshot]Renji is walking through the park one day and meets a very pretty girl, of course, after a short while, everyone wants to know who this girl is and Renji's more than a little irritated.


Renji's Love Interest

Again, Abarai Renji was assigned to the human world in Kurosaki Ichigo's hometown where he was to keep the Hollow attacks under control. And of course he did his job well with no help from the human companions he's made, after all, Hollows aren't difficult to deal with.

But today, like every other day, was a quiet and peaceful day. And not wanting to stay at the Urahara Shop where he'd be teased to no end of being a 'freeloader' by Jinta, Renji decided to walk around the town, wanting to learn more of the geography. And to his surprise, the town was a lot bigger than he thought.

The people just walked by, minding their own business as they were following their own individual agendas. He passed by several small groups of girls who would look at him, blush, and then giggle as they walked on. In truth, that was a bit of an ego-booster to Renji, as he realized that he was physically appealing to the women of the human world. And just as an extra boost, whenever he'd pass by a group of girls who'd look his way, he'd give them a sexy grin and mentally pat himself on the shoulder after seeing them blush and then give girlish giggles.

As he was passing by the park, a sound reached his ears. Curious of the strange, yet beautiful sound, he ventured into the park, searching for the source of where the sound was coming from.

At the place where the playground was, a crowd of children and a few parents all stood, watching a girl playing a strange instrument that Renji had never seen before. But as Renji watched the girl playing the stringed instruments with a strangely carved stick, and the fingers of her left hand pressing on the strings, he noticed what a beautiful sound it was making.

The children all seemed to be in awe of the musician's playing, and in truth, Renji too, was drawn by the delicate sound. But mostly he was drawn by the one creating the beautiful melody.

Her curly brown hair framed her delicate features, her pink lips were drawn in a thin line of concentration as she played. And her eyes were closed, as if listening to her own playing. Her fingers were poised as they skillfully moved over the strings while her other hand gracefully strummed the instrument with the bow.

The children all clapped once she was finished playing, and Renji finally was able to see her eyes…and they were a deep blue.

When everyone had departed, Renji and the musician were all that remained.

"That was a beautiful performance." Renji said, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Thank you," the girl said, smiling softly at the compliment as she put her instrument inside its case.

"Uh, I'm Abarai Renji." Renji awkwardly introduced himself, feeling his cheeks burn slightly.

"Harada Reira, nice to meet you." Reira said, "Do you come here often?"

"Uh, no, I was just passing by when I heard your music. So I thought I'd check it out and found you playing that thing and uh…that's about it." Renji suddenly foolish as his cheeks burned hotter.

"I see…"

"Don't get me wrong, or anything! I was just curious 'cause I've never heard or seen anything like what you were playing!"

Reira giggled into her hand, making Renji feel even more foolish than before.

"Would you like to have coffee with me?" Reira asked.

* * *

"So what exactly is that thing you were playing?" Renji asked, sitting across from Reira at a small table in a café. He pointed down to the case laying next to Reira's feet.

"It's a violin." Reira said simply.

"Vio…lin…?" Renji repeated slowly.

"Don't tell me you've never seen one before?"

"I've never even heard of such a thing until now."

Renji saw the surprised look Reira was giving him and thought that she looked cute while looking at him like that. It made him want to laugh a little.

"How could you not know what a violin is, Abarai-san?" Reira asked, cocking her head slightly to one side.

"Well…it's hard to explain…you see…" Renji shifted his eyes from Reira's face, to his cup of coffee, and then to Reira's school uniform. "That uniform. You go to Kurosaki's school, too?"

"Huh?" Reira said in wonder, looking down at her uniform and then at Renji. "Who's Kurosaki? Is he a friend of yours?"

"Yeah, his names Kurosaki Ichigo and he goes to your school. I recognize the uniform." Renji said.

"Ichigo…what a cute name for a girl." Renji practically fell over from the simple-ness of his new acquaintance, and yet, he couldn't help but a laugh a little at the same time. "What's so funny?" Reira asked.

"Nothing, it's just that, Ichigo's a guy." Renji said.

"Oh! I see!"

The more Renji stared at her, the cuter she seemed to become, and the hotter his face got.

"What a darling couple those two are over there." said a middle-aged woman to her two other lady-friends.

"You don't see couples like that very often." said a woman sitting beside the first.

"Oh, to be young and in love again." said a third woman with a dreamy sigh.

Renji's face turned beet red from over-hearing those women's conversations and what they said about him and Reira. Though looking at Reira, she didn't seem to hear as she peacefully stirred a spoon in her half-drunken cup.

"Ano…Reira-san, do you often play your violin in the park?" Renji asked.

"Hai, every Sunday." Reira replied. They sat in comfortable silence in each other's company, sipping coffee. And though Renji wasn't particularly fond of coffee, the black liquid seemed to taste better suddenly.

"Abarai-san…" Reira began, bringing Renji's attention back to her face to see a light blush gracing her beautiful face. "If it's not too much trouble…will you, um…come listen to me play my violin next Sunday?"

Renji was slightly taken back by the request, but gave her a soft smile and nodded his head. A bright smile appeared on Reira's face, making her more dazzling than ever.

* * *

"So the freeloader got himself a girlfriend, huh?" teased Jinta, as the residence of the Urahara shop were all seated for dinner.

"Boy, you sure a cheeky kid." Renji ground out through clenched teeth.

"Harada Reira, huh?" Urahara repeated, testing how the name sounded to him as he tapped his chin with a finger thoughtfully. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"Harada, you say?" asked Tessai, as he passed generous portions of bowls of rice to everyone at the table. "As in the musical prodigy Harada Reira who performed just last month in Paris, France for the Prime Minister?"

"Ah! That Harada!" Urahara said brightly, pulling out a magazine from inside his hakima and handing it to Renji. "Is this the girl you were talking about?"

Renji's eyes widened as he saw on the cover of the magazine was indeed, Reira, playing her violin in a beautiful crème colored dress.

"I say from the look on your face that it is her." Urahara said.

"Reira-san is…a famous violinist?" Renji asked, reading the captions on the cover.

"How very romantic! A young man falling in love with a musical diva who shines in the stage lights and stands upon an unreachable place as you strive for her attention! But because of your differences you must keep your love for each other a secret so that no one can tear you apart and leave you both in agony of heart break!" Tessai said dramatically with tears streaming down his face.

"He's been watching those soap operas again." Ururu said, as she and everyone at the table all sweat-dropped at the over exuberant Tessai and his idea of a tragic love.

"Well anyhow," Urahara began, whipping out his fan. "I say getting to know other humans is a good opportunity for you to learn more about this world."

Renji looked back down at the magazine cover of Reira's picture, considering the opportunity that was opening up for him during his time in the human world.

* * *

"What're you guys lookin' at?" Ichigo asked, walking up to his classmates who were bent over a magazine.

"Oh, Kurosaki-kun, did you hear the news?" Orihime asked, looking up at him.

"Hear what?" Ichigo asked.

"The famous musician, Harada Reira is attending our school as a senior classman." said Orihime, holding up the magazine to the page where many pictures with captions of a girl was on. "She's really famous for playing the piano and her singing, but what really made her famous is her violin playing."

"And this girl is at our school?" Ichigo asked, looking over the top of the magazine. "How come?"

"I heard she wanted to finish up her schooling before her big world tour." said Tatsuki.

"World tour?" Ichigo said with a blank look.

"Don't you know anything?" Tatsuki asked, "Reira-san's parents are super famous themselves. Her mom is a well renowned pianist while her father is a CEO of a mass enterprise, maybe if you read the tabloids a little you'd know about this kind of stuff."

"Geez! These rich people—why the hell would a hot-shot like her be attending a public school anyway?!" Ichigo asked out loud.

Loud noises outside of the classroom caught everyone's attention as they all crowded towards the door to see what all of the fuss was about. And from what Ichigo could see, everyone was whispering to each other as the girl of their recent topic was passing on towards the senior floor of the school.

In person, Ichigo noted that she was much shorter than in her photographs and more than ordinary looking. Of course, that was just him.

"Wow! She's way prettier in person than in a photo!" said one of the girls in Ichigo's class.

"I wonder what skin care products she uses." said another as everyone returned to their homerooms.

_So she's the girl everyone's been obsessing over?_ Ichigo wondered as he shook his head and returned to his seat in the classroom and hoped to have a normal day of school for once.

"Oi! Ichigo!"

Of course, those days of normal life was now a distant memory.

"Ichigo!"

The doors to his classroom were forced open as Renji stood in the doorway with a large grin on his face. That grin was a warning to Ichigo that something rather unpleasant was about to happen to him.

"There you are, Ichigo!" Renji said, "I've got something to tell—you?" Renji had suddenly been yanked away to a secluded area in the school by Ichigo, hidden away in the boys' bathroom.

Ichigo grabbed a fistful of Renji's shirt as he pulled him close with a menacing aura about him. "How many times have I told you not to approach me while I'm at school?" he asked harshly. "If it's about a Hollow, you take care of it! After all, you're a Shinigami, too!"

"That's not why I came, you moron! Rukia's gonna be comin' back, so I thought you'd like to know beforehand!" Renji said just as harshly.

"Oh." was all Ichigo said before letting go of Renji's shirt.

The bell rang, indicating it was now lunch hour for the students as the sounds of chairs scraping against floors and the shuffling of feet and the echoes of many voices began to rise.

"Anyways, you might as well stay for a bit and see Chad, Inoue-san, and maybe Ishida, if the prick's not busy." Ichigo said.

The two of them left the boys' bathroom and walked back to Ichigo's classroom where he picked up his sack-lunch and then they went up to the roof where Ichigo and his friends usually ate during lunch. As they reached the top of the stairs to the roof, Ichigo found that his friends weren't there, but in there place was someone else.

A beautiful sound filled the air. A familiar sound that Renji had recently been exposed to, and instantly he knew. There before him and Ichigo was the source of the beautiful sound, her back facing them, but Renji knew she had the same look of concentration on her face.

Ichigo's hand slid off the door, letting slam shut. And as the reaction to the action, the music stopped, and the musician turned around, startled.

"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you." Ichigo said.

"Ah! I knew it! It was you playing the violin, Reira-san!" Renji said with a gleeful grin as he trotted up to the transfer student.

"Huh?" was Ichigo's reaction.

"Oh, Abarai-san. What a pleasant surprise!" Reira said with a bright smile that made Renji's grin broader.

"Huh?!" came from Ichigo.

"Do you go to this school, too, Abarai-san?" Reira asked.

"It's cool if you just call me Renji, and no, I don't go here." Renji said.

"Then why are you here?"

"Well you see…"

_What the hell's going on?_ Ichigo wondered with an odd look on his face. _Since when does Renji make friends with celebrities? And when did cute girls began to talk to Renji? Better yet—when did cute celebrities started associating with an undercover Shinigami?!_

"What the hell's goin' on?!" Ichigo shouted out loud, which was a bad move because now Renji and Reira were looking at him like he were crazy.

"Sorry, Ichigo. Reira-san and I met in the park a few days ago and I guess I forgot to tell you." Renji said.

"Forgot to…tell me…? Like I'd even ask about your personal life." Ichigo said.

"At least I make time for one." Renji countered. Both of them glared each other down before Ichigo broke the staring contest to turn and leave.

"Whatever, I'll see you after school, Renji." and Ichigo left to go search for his lunch buddies.

"Sorry about that, Reira-san." Renji said, scratching the back of his head.

Reira giggled into her fist, "It's fine." she said, walking over to fence where her bag and violin case lay.

"You play your violin at school too?" Renji asked, watching as Reira closed her case closed and snapped the locks shut.

"If I'm alone, I'll play a little." she said, "But it's troublesome sometimes, because I can't seem to be alone for too long with my own thoughts."

"Then, do you want me to leave?"

"No, I like your company, I was referring to other people who seem to have nothing better to do than pry into other people's business."

"I know how that feels." Renji sighed, as he walked up to Reira and leaned his back against the fence, his hands buried deep in his pant pockets. "You must be sick of having a lot of people follow you around, huh?"

"Yeah…but it's been that way, ever since I was little. My mother's a famous pianist and my father's a big shot CEO, so it's only natural that people would have high expectations of me and would do anything just to be the first to see it."

"Expectations are hard to live up to." Renji said, "Which reminds me. I've noticed in the magazine photos that there aren't any pictures of you smiling." he looked down at Reira, who looked up at him. "And it made me wonder, why won't you show everyone your beautiful smile?"

He saw the surprised look on Reira's face just as the words finally registered in his head, making him blush madly.

"I mean—you know—well—" Renji stuttered as his words began to jumble up. "AH! What I'm trying to say is, you shouldn't look so depressed when I've seen you smile!" Renji's face then turned even redder, feeling utterly foolish for blathering on like he was.

"You're so funny." Reira giggled, just as the class bell rang.

* * *

Renji sat with his head on the table, his self esteem going down the drain after he had made such a fool of himself in front of Reira, making him want to crawl under a rock and die.

"So you might look like an idiot to her now, but that doesn't mean you should drag in this gloomy atmosphere." Urahara said. "Tessai!"

"Hai, boss." Tessai said, appearing by Urahara's side.

"Would you air out the sack of gloom over here? His depression is bringing us all down." Urahara said.

"Hai!" Tessai said, as he picked up Renji's unresponsive body and carried him outside where the vice-captain of the 6th squad was hung up on the laundry line to "air out."

* * *

On Sunday, Renji had planned to go to the park to hear Reira play her violin, but the rain had seemed to soil his plans. He debated the thought of staying in, thinking maybe Reira wouldn't show because of the sudden change in weather. But his foolish emotions got the better of him as he was zipping up his denim jacket and leaving the Urahara Shop with an umbrella.

He didn't know why he wanted to see the human Reira so badly. Maybe it was because of gigai? Maybe it made his emotions stronger the longer he stayed in it, even though he did go out every night with Ichigo to eliminate Hollows.

Walking down the familiar street, Renji retraced his steps, finding himself passing the playground in the park to the spot where he first saw Reira. But today…today he saw no one.

He should've known…why would anyone want to go out in this dismal weather?

"Renji-san?"

Renji turned around, seeing the one person he bothered coming out into the rain for, and a smile crossed his face.

"Yo, Reira-san."

* * *

The weeks that followed, Renji was less seen around the Urahara Shop (being a freeloader), and often seen with Reira. Of course, his time with Reira was often disrupted when a Hollow appeared and he'd make some excuse to leave for a while and then come back somewhat out of breath.

Good thing Reira never asks too many questions or else Renji would've crumbled in defeat and tell her everything. But that wasn't the case. For now, while he was to be the Shinigami stationed in this town, Reira made time go faster.

* * *

"Nani? I have to go back to Soul Society?" Renji asked in disbelief, though he knew it was to come.

"Hai, that's what I've been told." said Rukia, sitting in her makeshift bed in Ichigo's closet. "Why are you acting so upset? You'll be coming back in a few months."

"Yeah…but…" Renji's sentence trailed off as he didn't know how to explain his attachment to the human world. And so far, Rukia still didn't know about a new student in the senior class of the high school, that being an old topic now.

"Listen, Renji, why not ask for an extended stay her in the human world? It's not like you're needed back in Soul Society, right?" Ichigo said.

"But Renji has to report back to Soul Society and then make his rounds before it could be considered for him to be reassigned here." Rukia said, "Plus, he's been in a gigai for far too long. His soul needs to basically 'replenish' itself."

And that was that. Abarai Renji was to go back to Soul Society first thing in the morning. But not before he saw her again.

* * *

Tap.

Reira ceased her violin practicing as her attention was drawn towards her window.

Tap.

A pebble just hit her window. Curious, and a little bit frightened, she approaching her window and opened it. Pushing the frame like a door as she leaned forward to look down.

"Renji-kun? What are you doing here so late?" Reira asked, slightly confused as to why Renji was throwing pebbles at her window.

_Good, I got the right window this time._ Renji thought. "Yo, Reira-chan! I have something to tell you." he said.

"Nande, Renji-kun?" Reira asked, as she rested her elbows on the window sill. Renji would've found her question to be irresistibly cute if it weren't for the fact that he came there to break her heart, or so what Tessai had put it.

"Actually…hold on." he said, as he walked up to the house and began to climb up the ivy post that grew on the side of the wall up to Reira's window like a romantic fool. "Geez, why'd your window have to be so high up." he complained.

"I would've let you in through the front door, Romeo." Reira teased, giving Renji a playful tap on the nose. "So what was it that you had to tell me about?"

"Ano…I'll be gone for a while, and I don't really know when I'll be back, so…" Renji only briefly glanced up at Reira's face and then down at his knuckles, unable to bear the look of disappointment from her.

"That's too bad, you'll miss my final concert." Reira said after a moment of silence. Renji looked back up at her with somewhat surprise. "My final concert will be the end of my music career. My parents are a little upset but they'll come around eventually."

"Why? You have a great talent." Renji said.

Reira smiled sweetly at him. "Because it's not what I want." She leaned forward until their faces were only a breadth apart. "I want to pursue my own happiness." And she gave him a light peck on the lips.

Renji's face was enflamed as his grip went suddenly slack as he lost balance and fell off the side of Reira's house. He landed on his back, the air forced out from his lungs as he stared breathlessly up at his beautiful angel of music.

"Come back soon, okay?"

* * *

"_Come back soon, okay?"_ That was what she said to him. And he vowed to do so just as soon as he turned in his report to his captain and then request to have an extended stay in the human world. But that was three weeks ago.

_Man, how am I ever gonna explain to Reira-chan about being gone for so long? This is a pain…_ Renji thought as he was walking towards the 6th squad building to check in with Byakuya after his patrol.

"Abarai-san, is something the matter?" asked Yumichika.

Renji sighed as he scratched his chin as if thinking of what to say. "I'm fine." he said.

"You've been acting strange ever since you came back from the human world." said Ikkaku, his skinhead practically glowing in the sunny day.

"I said I'm fine, now drop it!" Renji said gruffly, irritated that people were starting to butt in on his troubles.

Ikkaku grabbed Renji's left shoulder, affectively stopping the vice-captain and turning him around to be face-to-face.

"What the hell happened while you were in the human world?" he asked, more like demanded.

Renji smacked Ikkaku's hand off of him as he sternly glared at the skinhead. "That's none of your business." And then he sharply turned on his heel and walked on ahead.

"Something's definitely up, you think he and Ichigo had another row before he left? Do you think that's why he's in such a sour mood?" Yumichika asked.

"Hmph! I bet he got rejected by some human babe." Ikkaku said with a cocky smirk.

"You think so? Abarai-san was rejected by a woman?"

"No doubt about it."

* * *

Byakuya set aside Renji's report after glancing it over and resumed to his other paperwork, it being the day when all captains must do paperwork. Of course, Byakuya, though looking as if he were engrossed by his work, was fully aware of Renji's attitude change.

His vice-captain seemed anxious about something, and it was not like Abarai Renji to seem so uncomfortable. And like everybody else who had noticed, he too, Kuchiki Byakuya, was also curious as to why Renji was acting the way he is. And on top of that, he had asked for an extended vocation in the human world.

"Renji," Byakuya called calmly, gaining the full attention of his vice-captain.

"Hai, Kuchiki-taichou?" Renji replied. Byakuya didn't stand up from his seat as he lifted up a sheet of paper to Renji who took it with a questioning look.

"I'm reassigning you back to the human world, Rukia had reported in saying there have been an unusual amount of Hollow sightings. You will go there and help Rukia and Ichigo dispose of the Hollows. I may send for someone to retrieve you after the Hollow count is down."

Renji couldn't believe his ears, he was being sent back to the human world…back to her. He bowed and left, leaving with a spring in his step, unknowing that Byakuya had reassigned him to the human world on purpose to only have him be spied upon. Because he was curious as to why the human world was so appealing to the vice-captain.

* * *

"Ehhh?! A human babe, you say?" Matsumoto said in disbelief and interest. "I didn't even notice that he was seeing someone. Ohh…why am I always last to know about these juicy bits of gossip?!"

"Matsumoto-san, it might not be true." said Yumichika.

"What are you talkin' about? Of course it's true!" Ikkakua said, "Why else would he be returning to the human world with a smile?!"

"I've never heard of a Shinigami falling in love with a human before, oh it's so romantic! Don't you think so too, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Matsumoto asked with excitement, looking at the young captain.

"Why should I care? It's none of my business as to what Abarai does in his spare time." Hitsugaya said. "Plus, knowing his temper, he'll get angry."

"We should follow him and see for ourselves!" Matsumoto suggested, making the captain of the 10th squad sigh in defeat, knowing it would be useless to change her mind.

* * *

"Ah, so the freeloader came back!" Jinta said, coming out into the shop just in time to see Renji put on his gigai and leave the shop. "Hey! Where are you goin'?"

"Abarai-san is going out to meet his lady-friend." Ururu said in her usual timid voice.

"WHAT?! But he just got back!" Jinta yelled, making Ururu cringe.

"Now, now," Urahara said, putting his hand on top of the boy's head. "When you meet someone you really like, you'll go out of your way just to see them. Ahh, to be in love…"

"Should I follow him and make sure everything goes well, boss?" Tessai asked, suddenly appearing behind Urahara.

"Nah, it's best to stay out of a shinigami's personal love-life." Urahara said.

"As if you know." Jinta said under his breath, earning himself a bop on the head by Tessai.

* * *

"Shh! Quiet or he'll hear us!" Matsumoto said from behind the corner of the building she, Ikkaku and Yumichika were hiding behind. "Yada, yada…Renji-kun really found himself a real catch. She looks so pure."

"You don't see many women like that now-a-days." Ikkaku said, giving a side-long look over at Matsumoto, the perfect example of a 'sinful woman'.

"You three are so pathetic." Hitsugaya said in a matter-of-fact tone, surprising the three.

"T-Taichou! We thought you were staying behind in Soul Society!" Matsumoto said.

"Urusaide." Hitsugaya ordered, looking around his vice-captain to see Renji sitting at a table inside a café with a pretty girl. "Oh, so it _is_ true. Renji-san really is seeing a human woman."

"They looked like they were enjoying themselves as far as Hitsugaya Toshirou could tell. They were holding hands on top of the table. His childish curiosity is peeked.

* * *

"Summer vacation is about to start, we should go somewhere together." Reira suggested.

"You mean…just you and me?" Renji asked. Reira nodded her head, her soft curls swaying with motion. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"I'm so glad you asked! We'll go to Kyoto to see the fireworks—oh! But not before we visit Hokkaido!" Reira said excitedly.

* * *

"What are they talking about? I can't hear!" Matusmoto pouted from her spot at a table nearby Renji and Reira.

"Something about fireworks and visiting someone named Hokkaido." said Ikkaku.

"You simpleton, Hokkaido is a ningen town just north of Tokyo." Hitsugaya said before putting a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

"Huh? Where's you get that?" Matsumoto asked, eyeing the frozen treat.

"I ordered it." Hitsugaya simply replied.

"Let me have a taste!" Matsumoto said, reaching across the table, but was too slow as the young captain snatched the tall glass away from the busty woman's reach. "Ahh…you're so stingy!"

"Quiet! He's gonna hear you!" Ikkaku said.

"They're getting up." Yumichika informed. Everyone (minus Hitsugaya) turned their heads to see Renji and Reira stand from their seats. Reira walked around the table and gave Renji a pack on the lips before leaving the café without him.

Matsumoto, Ikkaku and Yumichika were all wide-eyed while Hitsugaya calmly ate his ice cream, not bothered by the intimate echange.

"Quit staring, it's not that strange for a man and woman to kiss." Renji said, turning around to face the three (plus one tag-along) stalkers. "You three just couldn't mind your own business."

"I warned you he'd be angry." Hitsugaya pointed out.

"Why are you even here?" Renji asked.

"We wanted to know if the rumors were true or not." said Ikkaku off-handedly.

"And they are." Yumichika added.

"Big deal." Renji sighed, pulling up a chair to their table.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Yumichika asked.

"All together, a little over a month now." Renji replied.

"What if someone finds out about this?" Ikkaku asked.

"Speak for yourself, you four followed me here!" Renji said, "The secrets out!"

"Nothing will happen." Hitsugaya said, "There's no actual law against this anymore."

"Then Abarai-kun isn't going to be punished?" Matsumoto asked, "Oh! It'll be so romantic to see a Shinigami and a human to get married!"

Everybody at the table sweat-drops.

"As long as she doesn't know about shinigamis and Soul Society, then it's fine." Hitsugaya said.

* * *

"Yay! I'm finally finshed!" Orihime said, closing her math book. "Arigato, Reira-senpai!"

"Yeah, thanks for the help." Ichigo said. Chad nodded his thanks.

"You're welcome," Reira said, gathering her things together. "It was no problem helping you three get ready for your finals."

"Reira-senpai, I read in a magazine article that you canceled your world tour." Orihime said, "How come?"

"I decided to take a vacation from all of that and just have some fun for once." Reira said, "Besides, I have other plans for the summer."

"'Plans'?" Orihime repeated.

"Hai, Renji-kun, my boyfriend, and I will be spending some time together over the summer." Reira said with a light blush on her cheeks.

"How romantic!" Orihime said while Ichigo and Chad exchanged looks. "I hope you and your boyfriend have good time!"

"Arigato."

* * *

"You're goin' on vacation?!" Ichigo yelled, grabbing a fistful of Renji's shirt inside of Urahara's house, while everyone sat around the table, ignoring the two arguing.

"That's right, Ichigo! I'm goin' on vacation!" Renji yelled back.

"What about the Hollows?!"

"You can take care of them yourself! Besides, hardly any of them show these days!"

"But what about your duty as a Shinigami?!"

"You're just jealous of the fact that I'm able to maintain a relationship between here and Soul Society!"

Ichigo's eye twitched in irritation as Renji had actually hit a nerve. And as the two of them continued to argue, the rest were calmly sipping tea and nibbling on rice crackers.

"Mada mada…those two sure have a set of lungs in them." Urahara said, becoming tired of listening to the two yelling at each other.

"It's a surprise that they're not taking it outside where they can do some real damage." Rukia said.

"Since when did Renji-kun have a girlfriend? Is she a Shinigami too?" Orihime asked.

"Orihime-chan, Renji's girlfriend…is Reira-senpai." Chad said in his usual baritone voice.

"Hontou?! I had no idea!" Orihime said.

"Fine! Go off on your little vacation get-away!" Ichigo said roughly, "But don't expect me to cover for you!"

* * *

At the train station, Renji waited at the platform with a pack hanging from his shoulder as people around him moved along with their busy schedules. He was waiting for Reira to appear and grace him with her warm aura. Of course, not everything can go as planned as he was fully aware of the prying eyes of Ichigo and the others who came to witness him actually leaving with a girl.

"Do all of you really have nothing better to do than to follow me around?!" Renji yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Ichigo and the others.

"We only came to wish you well on your romantic get-away." Urahara said, making Ichigo, Rukia, Jinta, Matsumoto, and Ikkaku snicker behind their hands. "And remember, humans don't take too well to early parenthood."

The snickering turned to snorts as audible giggling was bubbling up in volume.

Renji's face turned pink. "Did you really have to say it _that_ way like it's no big deal?" he asked.

"I just thought you should know." Urahara said in a manner as if he were helping (which he wasn't).

"Don't have _too_ much fun!" sang both Ichigo and Ikkaku in a teasing voice, adding fuel to the flames.

"Bring us back some cute souvenirs!" said Matsumoto.

"You guys have some gull…" Renji ground out through clenched teeth, approaching his "friends" with a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Renji-kun!" called out a familiar voice, as everyone turned their attention towards the south entrance of the station to see Reira jogging up to them. "Sorry I'm late." she said, stopping in front of Renji, lightly panting.

"It's all right." Renji said, his murdering intent gone. "The train hasn't arrived yet."

"Oh, that's a relief." Reira said.

* * *

"Aha! So it is Harada Reira!" Urahara said, after he and everybody hid themselves to give the couple their space. "So he really is seeing the musical prodigy. I'm a little jealous."

"What are you sayin'? That you'd rather be in that freeloader's place?" Jinta asked, only to earn an annoying pat on the head.

"Ahh, Jinta-kun, if you only knew." Urahara chimed.

* * *

"Wow, I'm surprised that Renji's actually in a serious relationship with someone that looks like her." Rukia said, looking out from behind the sign she, Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad were hiding behind.

"What do you mean by 'someone looking like her'?" Ichigo asked, looking down at the top of Rukia's head.

"What I mean is, it's rare to find a human with an aura so pure. I can understand why Renji would be in love with that woman." Rukia said.

"In love?" Ichigo wondered, looking back up at the red haired Shinigami, boarding the train with Reira, holding each other's hands. Ichigo smiled at the Kodak moment scene.

"They make such a great couple, right Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked.

"Yeah, surprisingly, they do." Rukia agreed.

"I wonder if they'll end up getting married? I've always wanted to go to a wedding!" Orhime said, "Have you been to any, Kuchiki-san?"

"Yeah, a few." Rukia replied.

"Oi, what makes you so sure Renji will marry Harada-senpai?" Ichigo asked.

"Yade, yade…you really don't know a thing about love." Matsumoto accused, appearing behind the four with Ikkaku, Yumichika and Hitsugaya. "Of course Abarai-kun will marry that pretty girl, you'd have to be crazy to let someone like her go!"

"I was only making a statement." Ichigo said.

"Like it's any of our concern." Hitsugaya said, turning to leave the station platform.

"Eh? Taichou, where are you going?" Matsumoto asked.

"Back to Soul Society, where else?" Hitsugaya said blandly over his shoulder.

"M-Matte!" Matsumoto called, as she, Ikkaku and Yumichika hurried to follow the 10th unit captain.

"We should get going too, Tessai and Ururu must be lonely without us. Ja! Later!" said Urahara, as he and Jinta also turned to leave.

"Let's go." Ichigo said to his friends, heading towards the eastern gates.

"What about Renji?" Rukia asked.

"He'll be fine." Ichigo said. "Besides, I sensed a Hollow not too long ago."

Ichigo looked back at Rukia who smiled up at him, along with Orihime and Chad who both nodded in a silent agreement.

* * *

"I've noticed you've brought your violin along." Renji said, looking up at the rack where their bags were put up on, seeing the familiar case.

"It's a force of habit, I guess. I just couldn't bear to leave without it just yet." Reira said as she leaned over to rest her head on Renji's shoulder.

"Will you play it for me when we get there?" Renji asked.

"Do you have a piece in mind?" Reira asked.

Renji thought for a moment and then smiled, "Hai. The one you played that day we first met."

* * *

Byakuya lowered the report in his hands and looked up at Hitsugaya and gave a short sigh. He had his suspicions that it was something liek this. He just never thought it be something so serious though.

"So Renji left with a ningen woman, eh?" he said in a non-questioning tone. Hitsugaya curtly nodded his head to confirm.

"It was a real pain, being dragged around like I was by Matsumoto and the others. But your suspicions were right, Abarai-san is seeing a ningen woman." Hitsugaya said.

Byakuya set the report down on his desk and slid the paper to the side of his desk. He closed his eyes and took in a deep meditative breath and exhaled through his nose.

"What will you do about Abarai-san?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Nothing," Byakuya said, slightly surprising the younger captain. "It's not my place to interfere with such a trivial thing...let them be. The war has taken it's toll on Soul Society, there is nothing wrong with finding some happiness."

"You just couldn't stand seeing Abarai-san sulking about, the way he was, right?" Hitsugaya asked with a dry look, never to recieve an answer from his senior. "I'll never understand you adults."


End file.
